Manufacture of embossed flexible hard surfaced coverings



March 22, 1932. w. F. KAUFMAN 1,850,630

MANUFACTURE OF EMBOSSED FLEXIBLE HARD SURFACED COVERINGS w. F. KAUFMAN1,850,630

MANUFACTURE OF EMBOSSED FLEXIBLEHABD SURFACED COVERINGS March 22, 1932.

Filed oct. 7,' 1929 s sheets-sheet 2 W. F. KAUFMAN March 22, 1932.

MANUFACTURE OF EMBOSJSED FLEXIBLE HARD SURFACED COVERINGS 3 sheets-sheets -Patented Mar. 22, 1932 UNITED STATESg PATENT oFFicE I WALTER 4IF.KA'UFMAN, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ARMSTRONG? CORKCOMPANY, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VAN IA.`

AMAINU'IFAC'JIJ'ZRE 0F EMBOSSED FLEXIBLE HARD SURFACED COVERINGSApplication inea omhei- 7, ieee. serial no. 397,777.

This invention relates to the manufacture of embossed hard surfacedflexible coverings such as linoleum. In the patent to Humphreys &McCarthy No. 1,630,085, dated May 24, 1927, there is disclosed anembossed floor covering of inlaid linoleum having certain tesserae sunkbelow the general surface level of the goods. This material is made byforming molded inlaid linoleum in `accordance With the usual practice ofsupplying granulated linol'eu'm mix through stencils onto ka backing andcompressing the material, and thereafter placing it in an embossingpress so as to de ress the desired portions of the pattern. n order torelieve the monotony of the pattern, recourse is had to small insetdesign elements such as shown, for example, in Humphreys Reissue PatentNo. 16,473. These small inset ligures are formed by supplying colorthrough proper stencils. Unfortunately it is impossible with presentmachinery to make the repeat distance of these inset figures any greaterthan 54 inches. Also in any given line longitudinally o f the goods, thesame ligure repeats indefinitely. This imposes marked limitations on thedesigns which can be produced.

It is impossible to make a pattern with a greater repeat distancebecause the universal practice in the oor covering industry has been toemploy a 54 inch repeat, and all of the machines have been designedaccordingly. The stencil plates and the machines which carry them aredesigned for this repeat distance aiid the presses Will not accommodatea materially longer section of goods. lIii practice, the embossing pressacts on a 54 inch length of material and the embossing ribs on the faceof the die thereof are carefully formed so as to t the pattern.Obviously, if a special inset figure, say a cross, occurred in one 54inch length of material and the embossing die were eut to depress thematerial immediately surrounding such cross` it Would not be possible tosubstitute another dropped-in figure, say a swas'tika, at acorresponding point in the neXt- 54 inch length because the embossingdie would notv be properly shaped to einboss around it.

Because of this fact it has been necessary to confine the range ofpatterns to those `in vvhichthe dropped-in figures were of such size andcolor as to not bring forcefully to the eye the fact that the patternrepeats itwhich it is desired to specially emboss and then feed thematerial through the press. The press forces the mask into the goods,giving the desired embossing effect. After the depressing operation themaskmay be removed.

The mask can be of any suitable material, such as heavy paper or thinsheet metal. I preferably employ a thin soft metal mask.

The portions of the pattern which are enibossed by the mask may consistof composite units, say an ornamental figure surrounded by a specialbackground, or they may be plain colored blocks of linoleum. In thecopending application of J. Clarence McCarthy, Serial No. 298,192, liledAug. 8, 1928, there is disclosed a process of making molded inlaidlinoleum wherein a preformed sheeted design element is dropped intoplace. The Mc- Carthy invention may advantageously be employed inconnection with the present invenion.

Various figures may be made up on a suit- 85 able non-adherent backing,say oiled paper, and the stencil plates of the molded inlay machine sodesigned as to leave blank areas into which the preformed designelements may be laid for consolidation thereafter with the body of thegoods under the making press. If desired, the dropped-in figures may beembossed by the mask before the figure is inserted in the body of thelinoleum. In this case the mask is left in position, the oil paperbacking simply being stripped from the figure and the figure beingdropped into place. The mask preserves the embossing previouslyAimparted from the figure land is stripped of after the goods have beenmade. If the 10| sheeted figures are unembossed, then the operator maylay them in position and put a suitable mask of a shape corresponding tothe design of the dropped-infigure over it. In this case the embossingof the figure takes place in the making press and the main body of thelinoleum is thereafter embossed in the embossing press, the maskremaining in position to preserve the embossing of the droppedin figure,the embossing die having a blank space so that the mask will not beinjured.

It will be seen that according to this form of the invention the figuresmay be dropped in 4in any desired sequence so that differentlongitudinal lines on the material contain an assortment of haphazarddesign elements. The repeat length of the goods may thus be multipliedindefinitely. In fact it is preferred that the operator be left free todrop the different designs in according to his fancy and not in any setorder.

Instead of using previously formed design elements according to theMcCarthy invention above identified, I may employ removable stencilportions for molding the special figures from granulated color. Thisrequires that one or more stencil plates have special removable portionsfor which substitute plate portions are inserted according to the designof the figure required. A suitable form of removable stencil isdisclosed in the copending application of Charles Weber, Serial No.529,617, filed April 13, 1931.

The invention is also applicable to the manufacture of straight linelinoleum. Straight line linoleum is made either by the hand process,wherein died-out pattern elements are laid on the backing by hand andthereafter compressed, or else by a rotary machine wherein continuouswebs of sheeted linoleum are cut into pattern elements and scrap and thepattern elements are automatically laid on the backing. In thecopendin'g application of Charles F. Humphreys, Serial No. 363,581,filed May 16, 1929, there is disclosed a method of operating a machinesuch as a rotary machine wherein recurring portions of the web which areultimately to have a pattern element applied thereto are left uncovered,and pattern elements are thereafter filled in by hand. If desired,special figures may be inserted in such spaces and a mask placedthereover so that inthe subsequent calendering ofthe goods the mask isforced into the special pattern element; or, if desired, the embossingmay be sooner effected and the mask left in place so as to preserve theembossing as the material travels through the roll calender.

In a rotary machine the material is inspected after the pattern elementshave been automaticall laid and before it goes to the calender. Idesired, the entire surface of the backing may be covered and theinspecthe present preferred tors may pull out pattern elements as theydesire and substitute special figures wit corresponding masks. If it isdesired merely to emboss certain figures, as, for example, plainsquares, this may be done by laying the masks on the goods as it travelsover the inl spection table.

If masks of soft metal, as, for example, lead, are employed, these willretain the curvature imparted by the roll calender in an amountsufiicient to cause them to pull free in part from the goods after ithas been straightened out, thus making the masks easy to pick off. Across bar for engaging the masks may be employed if desired.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating embodiment of the inventionand certain modifications thereof.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a floor covering made according to myinvention;

Figure 2 is a section to enlarged scale of a portion thereof;

Fi ure 3 is a diagrammatic View illustrating t e practice of theinvention as applied to the molded inlaid process;

Figure 4 is a plan view of a special pattern element which may beemployed;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a corresponding mask for embossing the same;

Figure 6 is a transverse section to enlarged scale of the molded inlaidmaterial in process of manufacture and showing the same in the makingpress;

Figure 7 is a similar view but showing the material after it has beencompressed and lying in the embossing press ready to have the main bodyof the pattern embossed;

Figure 8 is a sectional view to enlarged scale of a special patternelement such as shown in Figure 4 but preliminarily embossed by the useof a mask; and

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view of a rotary machine adapted for thepractice of my invention.

Referring first to Figure 1 there is shown a piece of linoleum made upof three lengths Z, each of 54 inches. The pattern consists in generalof elements representing Dutch tiling with interliners representingmortar, but having dropped-in figures at intervals. These dropped infigures longitudinal rows 'r1 and 'r2 and in linoleum manufactured byprocesses heretofore employed, only one pattern element appeared in eachlongitudinal row. It will be noted, however, from Figure 1 thataccording to the present invention differentfigures are employed.

The material shown in Figures 1 and 2 is made by the molded inlaidrocess and a machine of conventional type or this process of manufactureis illustrated in Figure 3.l In accordance with the usual practice itcomprises a bed 2 having pin bands 3 for feeding a backing of burlap Balong the bed in a are arranged in i,

vOne such pattern element is shown in Figure 4, it consisting of aconventional fleur-de-lys on a contrasting background. A large number ofspecial figures of varying pattern may be made up by supplying colorthrough special stencils onto a non-adherent backing such as oiledpaper, the figures being given a suiiicient amount of compression toinsure adherence of the particles during handling. Workmen standingalongside the machine or on the inspectors platform 5 strip these designelements from their paper backing and lay them into the blank spaces ofthe main pattern.- There is no restriction on the order in which thefigures may be placed.

A mask suchas-shown in Figure 5 is placed over each of the inset patternelements. The mask of Figure 5 has cut out portions corresponding to thedesign of Figure 5 and it is v placed thereover with the perforations inproper registry with the portions of the pattern element which it isdesired to leave upstanding. The mask may be made of any suitablematerial, although as above stated, it is preferred to employ softductile metal.

As the material travels forward it` moves `under a making press 6 havinga platen 7 in the making press 6 and this embeds the mask into thepattern. Figure 6 shows the action of the making press. The main body ofthe pattern, indicated at 10, consists of loose granular color and thepreformed design element is laid on the burlap B in the blank spaceprovided by the stencils 4. The mask 12 lies over the design element 11with its perforations in proper registry with the design, as shown inFigure 6.

After the material has been consolidated in the making press 6, it isfed forward to an embossing press 14. This press has a head 15 withembossing ribs 16 thereon for embossing the tile interliners of thegeneral pattern. It is, however, provided with a blank space 17, asindicated in Figure 7. In Figure 7 the material is shown consolidatedand about to be embossed by the ribs 16. The mask 12 remains in place topreserve the embossing which hasbeen imparted to the special ligure 11by the making press. The

blank spaces 17 of the embossing die accommodate the various masksemployed and prevent their distortion.

Figure 8 illustrates a special pattern element like that of Figure 4except that in the preliminary sheetingv thereof the mask 12 has beenemployed so that when the special figure is put in place in the linoleumit has already been embossed and the mask functions to preserve thisembossing through the making press 6 and the embossing press 14. Thisprocedure is desirable in that it permits of quicker handling of thespecial insets due to the reinforcing afforded by the masks themselvesand also saves time in that the mask is properly registered with thedesign when the figure is dropped into place. When operating at highspeed this is of importance.

Figure 9 illustrates a rotary machine for the manufacture ofstraight-line linoleum.

This machine comprises essentially a drum v 51 having die rolls 52arranged therearound. p

Wl'ebs 53 of linoleum mix are supplied from calenders 54 by belts 55 tothe die rolls. The die rolls, as is well known, have knives on theirperipheral surfaces which cooperate with platen rolls 56 for cutting thewebs into 'pattern elements and scrap. The scrap material is ejected bya pin roll 57 in each die roll and the 1pattern elements are applied tothe backing by means of a pin roll 58. The different colors in thepattern are supplied by different die rolls and the main body of thepattern is complete when the material travels over the inspection table59. If deslred, certain portions of the burlap may be left blankaccording to the invention4 of John |Wiley, Serial No. 365,625, filedMay 24, 1929,' or by any other method; or, if preferred, certain of thepattern elements which are. applied by the die rolls may be strippedofi' by the inspectors to leave blank spaces in which special figuresare to be placed. These ligures with their masks willbe set in bytheoperators working alongside the inspection table. In Figure 9 I haveillustrated masks M in position.

, The material travels from the inspection table 59 to a roll calender60 where it is compressed and the pattern elements consolidated withtheburlap backing and with one another. `In this calender the masks arepressed into the linoleum or, if the embossing has been previouslycarried out in a manne-r corresponding to the disclosure of Figure 8,the masks are effective for preserving such embossing.

A curvature is impalted tothe masks as they travel around the rollcalender and when the goods is straightened out, as indicated at 61 inFigure 9, the permanent curl imparted to the masks tends tolmake theiredges stand up from the goods. They are thus in position to be engagedby cross bar 62 which strips the masks from the material and drops theminto a receiving trough 63.

It is not necessary that the mask be employed` with special dropped-infigures. They may be used for embossing plain squares or other shapeswhich may be setin by hand or applied by the rotary machine, as desired.

As best shown in Figure 1, the successive 5 areas in which the specialfigures are placed are all of the same exterior size and shape in anygiven row. In Figure 1 the special areas are all squares of the samesize. It will rbe understood, however, that this is by way of oillustration only and that various other sizes or shapes may beemployeddepending upon the particular design being produced. v

The edges of the masks may be rounded, as

indicated at 1n Figure 8, so as to impart .15 roundness to the edges ofthe depressions formed by the masks, or the masks may be otherwiseshaped to determine the contour of the embossed portions.

In the rotary machine, asin the molded inlaid machine, there hasheretofore been a definite limitation on the length of the pattern, forthe circumference of the die rolls employed is 54 inches and thiscircumference determines the maximum repeat length in a rotary machineas ordinarily operated. By my invention, therefore, this definitelimitation on the pattern length is removed. The masks employed lmay beof almost any size or configuration and the repeat length of thepattern, considered as a whole, is no longer imposed by the machineemployed but is determined bythe will of the designer or the operator.The sameness of the patterns is eliminated and instead of a singledesign element repeating itself indefinitely in a line longitudinally ofthe material, various figures may be provided in any desired sequence.This is of particular value when the linoleum is laid on floors of largearea.

I have illustrated and described certain preferred forms of theinvention as applied to different manufacturing processes. It will beunderstood, however, that this is by way of illustration only and thatthe invention 5 is not limited to the forms shown but may be otherwiseembodied or practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering,vthesteps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material, placing a maskover at least a portion of the surface thereof, and then compressing thematerial.

2. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material,

placing a perforated mask over at least a portion of the surfacethereof, and then cornpressing the material.

3. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material, placing a maskof a thickness substantially c; equal to the desired embossing depthover at least a portion of the surface thereof, andv then com ressingthe material.

4. In 't e manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material madefup of aplurality of design elements, placing a mask over a design element, andthen compressing the material. 5. In the manufacture of embossed hardsurfaced flexible covering, the steps consisting in forming a sheet ofcovering material made up of a plurality of design elements, at leastone of which comprises a plurality of portions of different shades orcolors, placing a mask over one of theshades or colors o thelast-mentioned design element, and then compressing the material so asto depress the portion of such shade or color below an adjacent portion.

6. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material made up of aplurality of design elements, at least one of which comprises aplurality of portions of different shades or colors, placing a mask overone of the shades or colors of the last-mentioned design element, While`leaving unmasked an adjacent portion in said llast-mentioned designelement and of another shade or color, and then compressing the materialso as to depress the portion of such shade or color below an adjacentportion.

7. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting informing a sheet of material, inserting preformeddesign elements therein, placin a mask over at least a portion ofan'inserte deslign element, and compressing the mater1a 8. In themanufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, the stepsconsisting in forming a sheet of material with openings at intervalstherein, inserting preformed design elements in such openings, placing amask over at least a portion of an inserted design element, andcompressing the material.

9. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting in forming a sheet of material, inserting preformeddesign elements therein, different design elements being of a differentdecorative effect, placing masks over such elements, the masks being ofa configuration to corre.- spond to the different designs, andcompressing the material.

10. In the' manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting in forming a sheet of material, inserting preformeddesign elements therein, different design elements being of a differentdecorative effect, placing masks over such elements, the masks being ofa configuration to correspond to the different designs, and compressf soing the material, the inserted design elements'of a given kind repeatingat lntervals greater than 54 inches.

Y 11. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced iexible covering,thesteps consistries being of substantialllly the same size and shapebut presentlng di erent visual effects, applying different masks overdifferent design elements in the series, and compressing the material.

13. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced iiexible covering, thesteps consisting in forming a sheet of material having at spacedintervals a series of special design elements, the s ecial designelements of the series being o substantially the same size and shape,applying different masks over dierent design elements in the series, andcompressing the material.

14. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, thelsteps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the desireddesign, placing a mask over atleast a portion of the design, andcompressing thev material.

15. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, thesteps consisting in laying color over a backing to form a portion yofthel desired design, fitting in preformed design elements, placing masksover at least a portion of the elements and compressing the material.

16. In `the method 'of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, thesteps consisting in laying color` over a backing to form the desireddesign, masking a portion of the pattern, compressing all of thematerial so as to consolidate the same, and then embossing portions ofthe material surrounding the masked portion.

17. In the methodof making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, the stepsconsistingl in laying color over a backing to form the desired design,masking a portion of `the pattern, compressing all of the material so asto Consolidate the same, embossing portions ofthe material surroundingthe masked portion, and leaving the mask in place during such embossing.

18. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, thesteps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the desireddesign, setting preformed design elements made up of a plurality ofshades or colors, placing masks over said preformed design elements, theconfiguration of the mas s corresponding to the design thereof, andcompressing the material.

19. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or .the like, thesteps consisting in laying color over a backin to form the desireddesign but leaving the acking exposed at intervals, setting in preformeddesign elements, placing a mask over at least a portion of the design,and compressing the material. 20. In the method of making molded inlaidlinoleum or the like, the steps consisting in 'f laying color over abacking to form the desired design but leaving the backing exposed atintervals, setting in preformed design elements, placing a mask over atleast a portion of the design, and compressing the material, the set-indesign elements repeating at an interval greater than the width of thepress.

21. In the method of making molded inlaid linoleum or the like, thesteps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the thenon-adherent backing, placing them in the uncovered areas of thefirst-mentioned backing, laying masks over the preliminarily compresseddesign elements, and compressing the material.

' 23. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced iexible covering, thesteps consisting in laying color over a backing to form the desireddesign setting in preformed embossed design elements With'masks fillingthe embossed portions, and compressing the material.

24:.v In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering,the steps consisting in forming a sheet of covering material havingopenings therein, placing preformed embossed design elements in theopening with masks filling the embossed portions, and then consolidatingthe material.

25.` In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced flexible covering, thesteps consisting in laying material over a backing to form the body ofthe covering but leaving portions of the backing exposed, filling in theexposed portions wit preformed design elements,

desired design, leaving portions of the backa0 elements thus formed,stripping them froml applyin masks thereto and compressing the materia26. In the manufacture of embossed hard surfaced fiexible covering, thesteps consisting in appl `ng material to a backing to form the body othe flexible covering but leaving certain portions of the backingexposed, settingy in preformed embossed design elements having masks l'ng inthe embossed portions, and consolidating the material. 27. A maskfor embossing fiexible hard surfaced coverings comprising a. sheet ofmaterial of the shape it is desired to emboss and of a thickness corresonding generally 'to .the desired embossing epth.

28. A mask for embossing flexible hard surfaced coverings comprising aperforated sheet of material of the shape it is desired to emboss and ofa thickness corresponding generally to the desired embossing depth.

29. A mask for embossing flexible hard surfaced coverings comprising asheet of metal of the shape it is desired to emboss and of a thicknesscorresponding generally to the desired embossing depth.

30. A mask for embossing flexible hard surfaced coverings comprising asheet of soft ductile metal of the shape it is desired to emboss and ofa thickness corresponding generally to the desired embossing depth.

31. In combination, compressing means for consolidating fiexible hardsurfaced covering material, and a mask adapted to be laid over thematerial to be compressed and there engaged by the compressing means.

32. In combination, compressing means for consolidating flexible hardsurfaced covering material, and a mask adapted to be laid over thematerial to be compressed and there engaged by the compressing means,that portion at least of the compressing means which engages the maskbeing smooth faced.

33. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum or A the like comprisingstencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing, a press for theformed material and a mask adapted to be laid on the material andengaged by the press.

34. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum or the like comprisingstencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing,

a making press for consolidating the materi an embossing press, and amask adapted to to be laid on the material and engaged by a press.

35. Apparatus for making molded inlaid linoleum or the like comprisingstencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing, a making pressfor consolidating the material, an em ossing press, and a mask adaptedto to be laid on the material and engaged by a press, the embossingpress having ribs for embossing the material but having a smooth facefor engaging the mask.

36. Apparatus for making molded inlaid adapted to leave successive areasof the back-J ing uncovered and adapted for the insertion of' preformeddesign elements of substantially the same size and shape, and aplurality of masks of different design adapted to be laid over saidinserted preformed design elements.

38. Apparatusvfor making molded inlaid linoleum or the like comprisingIstencils adapted for the laying of color on a backing but adapted toleave successive areas of the backing vuncovered and adapted for theinsertion of preformed design elements, a plurality of masks ofdifferent design adapted to' be laid over said inserted preformed designelements, and an embossing press arranged t0 leave unembossed theuncovered areas.

39. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum havingspecial figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material,different figures in a row being of different design.

40. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum havingspecial figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material andequally spaced, successive figures in a row beingof differentconfiguration.

41. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum havingspecial figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material,different figures in a row being of different design, the severalfigures in a row bein of substantially the same exterior size and shape.

42. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum havingspecial figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material,different figures in a row being of different design, the figures beingembossed.

43. As a new article of manufacture, molded inlaid linoleum havingspecial figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material,different figures in a row bein of dif- -ferent design the figures beingem ossed in different configurations.

44. As a new article of manufacture, a flexible hard surfaced coveringhaving special multi-colored or multi-shaded figures arranged in rowslongitudinally of the material, different figures in a row being ofdifferent configuration.

45. As a new article of manufacture,a fiexible hard surfaced coveringhaving special multi-colored or multi-shaded figures ary Langeac) rangedin rows longitudinally of the material,diii'erent figures in a row beingof dfferent configuration, the special figures of a given designrepeating at intervals greater than 54 inches.

46. As a new article of manufacture, a flexible hard surfaced coveringhaving special` figures arranged in rows longitudinally of the material,the figures being embossed, different figures in'a row being embossed indilerent designs.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. v

WALTER F. .KAUFMAN

